If you have a water leak sign in your yard with the Sarasota County Logo and a QR code, this means that our staff has been at your location to evaluate the leak and assign it a priority level. Based on the priority level, we will be returning to address the issue.

Sometimes we have concerned citizens, such as neighbors or passersby, who report suspicious activity to our customer service team. In this case, our staff will always check out the situation to ensure we are providing the best possible service to our customers.

Service requests are addressed based off level of priority, and then in the order in which they have been called in. We have a team of Public Utility ‘runners’ whose primary role is to respond to water service leak service request as they come in. Typically, we can visually inspect the issue within one business day. The runner will assess if the issue is the customer’s responsibility or if it is a county issue. If the issue is minor, and it can be fixed on the spot, the runner will perform the repairs. If the work will require additional resources, including excavation and a repair crew, the runner will evaluate the leak to determine the priority. The priority assigned is how we schedule the repair work.

Below is a summary of our priority levels, and the level of service we strive to meet:

High Priority: High Priority is defined as customers without water, and/or immediate action is needed to protect health, safety, and property. High priority leaks are addressed as soon as possible, and all other scheduled repairs of medium and low priority will be postponed. This work can be performed 24/7, based on severity.
Medium Priority: Medium priority is defined as reduced water pressure, but still having above 20 psi in the water distribution system as required for regulatory compliance. Water leaks that are not an immediate threat to health, safety, and property can also be classified as a medium priority water leak.
Low Priority: Low priority is defined as a visual leak without service interruption to customers, and with no immediate threat to health, safety, and property.

Our staff works around the clock (24 hours a day, seven days week, 365 days a year) to respond to emergencies and provide the best service possible to our customers. While service times may vary, the medium and low priority jobs will be scheduled to take place during our normal business hours, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Once our staff has assessed the need and has mobilized to begin fixing the issue, resolution should occur within one day. This will also depend on the size and intensity of the issue. Asphalt, concrete, sod, and other site restorations will be scheduled for follow up after the watermain or service line has been repaired.